TIFFIN – With emotions running high, the Heidelberg University men's basketball team lost to No. 8 Marietta College on Saturday, 79-72. The Student Princes could not maintain the momentum of a hot start and fell to 5-4, 1-2 in the Ohio Athletic Conference. Marietta improved to 7-1, 3-0 in the conference.

KEY STATS

DeAvery Collins had a career-high 24 points on 10-for-14 shooting, including 4-for-5 from behind the 3-point arc.

Myron Prewitt snared 10 rebounds, setting a new personal best, and tallied his first collegiate double-double.

Kiere Bennie and Ben Jones also reached double-figures in scoring.

HOW IT HAPPENED

A 3-pointer by DeAvery Collins capped a dream start for Heidelberg, giving the Student Princes an 8-0 lead with 15:33 left in the half. After a timeout, the Pioneers responded in a big way. The visitors went on a 14-2 run, which was ended by another 3-pointer by Collins.

Marietta led by as many as 11 in the first half and had a 35-28 lead at halftime.

Three separate technical fouls levied against Heidelberg helped Marietta maintain a comfortable cushion throughout the first eight minutes of the second period. A three-point play by Jackson Blue with 10:01 cut Marietta's lead to 55-50. The free throw was Heidelberg's first attempt of the physical game.

Though the Student Princes were able to whittle the deficit to three on multiple occasions, Heidelberg never had possession with a chance to tie the contest up. A fourth technical foul on HU helped the Pioneers push their lead out to 11 with an 8-0 run.

Heidelberg was able to chip away at that lead, but they were never able to cut it to a one possession game as the Pioneers hung on for the 79-72 win.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

Heidelberg had more technical fouls (4) than free throws attempted (3).

QUOTES FROM THE COACH

"I was proud of our guys with all of the adversity we went through in the second half. We played them toe to toe," said head coach Andy Bucheit. "If you take away the eight points they had on technical, it's 72-71. I told our guys in the locker room, where there's smoke, there's fire. We deserved one or two of those technical, and the other ones came because we made mental mistakes early and gave the officials the window to make the call."

UP NEXT

Heidelberg remains home for another OAC contest on Wednesday. Wilmington College (1-6, 0-3) visits Tiffin for a 7:30 p.m. tip.